Palazzo Tolomei, Siena

The Palazzo Tolomei is an imposing, Gothic style urban palace, located on Via Banchi di Sopra in the present contrada of Civetta, Terzo di Camollia of the city of Siena, region of Tuscany, Italy.

Facade of Palazzo Tolomei

History

The palace is one of the oldest buildings in the city, built between 1205-1212 by the Tolomei family.[1] It stands across the Piazza Tolomei, facing the church of San Cristoforo. The aristocratic Tolomei family for many years were associated with this parish church.[2] On the Via Banchi di Sopra, it is a few houses south and across the street of the Palazzo Bichi Ruspoli, a few blocks north of the Piazza di Campo.

The palace of this Guelf aristocratic family was nearly destroyed by Ghibelline mobs in 1267. The stone palace, with its tall first floor, mullioned windows with trefoil decoration in upper floors, is now is restored and home to Banca CR Firenze.

Among notable members of the Tolomei family included Pia Tolomei. In 1295, however, she was defenestrated by her Guelf husband from Maremma, who wished to remarry. Her story was popular in the 19th century and the Risorgimento as a symbol of faithfulness to principles in the face of treachery and self-interest. Gaetano Donizetti made her the subject of his tragic opera, Pia de' Tolomei. She was initially immortalized by Dante, who encounters her in Purgatory:[3]

Plaque on palace wall
Ricorditi di me, che son la Pia:
Siena mi fe', disfecemi Maremma:
Salsi colui che innanellata pria,
Disposato m'avea con la sua gemma.
Remember me, who is the Pia;
Siena was my faith, but defaced by Maremma:
He who had engaged with his ring me first,
Disposed of me from his jewel.

The Tolomei family also bore Saint Bernardo Tolomei and the Blessed Nera Tolomei, memorialized in the facade of the church of San Cristoforo. The palace has a column with a Roman Wolf at the top.

References

  1. ↑ Palio website anecdote of Civetta.
  2. ↑ A Medieval Italian Commune: Siena Under the Nine, 1287-1355, by William M. Bowsky, page 276.
  3. ↑ Commune of Siena, entry.

Coordinates: 43°19′12″N 11°19′52″E / 43.31995°N 11.33109°E / 43.31995; 11.33109

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